geostationary

American  

[jee-oh-stay-shuh-ner-ee] / ˌdʒi oʊˈsteɪ ʃəˌnɛr i /

Also geosynchronous

adjective

1. of or relating to a satellite traveling in an orbit 22,300 miles (35,900 km) above the earth's equator: at this altitude, the satellite's period of rotation, 24 hours, matches the earth's and the satellite always remains in the same spot over the earth.

   geostationary orbit.

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geostationary British  

/ ˌdʒiːəʊˈsteɪʃənərɪ /

adjective

1. Also: geosynchronous. (of a satellite) in a circular equatorial orbit in which it circles the earth once per sidereal day so that it appears stationary in relation to the earth's surface

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Etymology

Origin of geostationary

First recorded in 1960–65; geo- + stationary

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Explanation

When an object orbits Earth at the same speed as the planet rotates, the object is geostationary, as it appears fixed in the same spot in the sky. Many weather satellites are geostationary. No natural objects are known to be geostationary, but artificial satellites sometimes are. A geostationary satellite must be 22,236 miles above sea level, where Earth's gravity pulls on it just enough to keep it at the right speed. It must be directly above the equator and traveling the same direction as Earth spins. Geostationary weather satellites can watch a single continent continuously to track storms. Many of the swirling cloud patterns on weather reports come from geostationary satellites. Geostationary combines geo-, "earth," with stationary, "fixed in place."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

geostationary

Far out in space, where geostationary satellites orbit, a half-dozen school-bus-size satellites crack open and start dumping barium, lithium or sodium.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

She and her colleagues have argued that a geostationary satellite equipped with the right infrared imaging technology could potentially monitor gravity waves continuously and provide new insights into tropical cyclone development.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

The space agency says the module remains at a height of more than 115,000km - way above the 36,000km orbit where geostationary satellites are located - to avoid any threats of collision.

From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2023

The launch aims to kick off a return to growth for Viasat, which has been hamstrung as its existing high-orbit, geostationary satellites have filled up.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 12, 2023

Statsionar-Russia's geostationary system for satellite telecommunications. submarine cable-a cable designed for service under water.

From The 1998 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

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